Addition to the Fleet

Graciousmobile II

     Gotcha. No, I'm not writing about our U.S. Navy ships, manned by dedicated Americans. I'm writing about my Graciousmobile II. And this is the short version:

     It was a blisteringly hot day in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida.  My original Graciousmobile I, a 2005 silver Chrysler PT Cruiser, was loaded with dog, husband, luggage and granddaughter Ava. The purpose of our trip was to safely return the small child into the waiting arms of her loving parents after a week's worth of hardcore wackiness at our annual Grammy Camp. So, there we were, gas tank full, dog secured in her own personal puppy seat with us all buckled in and the key in the ignition. 
    "Grammy, I'm hot," came Ava's sweet voice from the back, as she pressed her little self into the door, keeping her distance from the sometimes irritable rescued Chihuahua, Abby, with whom she shared the back seat.
     "Hang on, baby girl.  I'm firing up the Cruiser right now.  I turned the key and the engine whirled the way an engine should.  "Crank the windows down and let the heat out till the air conditioning catches up," I directed all, backing us out of the driveway.  That's when I saw Abby's face in my rear view mirror. She was panting and, far too hard, to take a trip to the corner let alone a trip several hours away.  The AC had conked out.  What a time for this to happen. We were on a deadline because Ava had to get home. As an aside:  I had recently taken the elderly Graciousmobile I to the garage to have the AC repaired.  They couldn't find the leak, so put some sort of stop-leak somewhere under the hood.  The mechanic told me it should stay cool long enough to carry us through the summer and well into the fall. He was wrong. 
     Now I could have stood the drive with all the windows down.  Bruce could have, too, but not the small child and certainly not the semi-sweet dog.  So, straight away, we went to the only rental car company on the island, picked up a white car and got Ava home on schedule. 
     A white car?  What kind, you might wonder.  I can't tell you because I don't care about cars, so much so, I don't even remember what brand it was.  I have never had any interest in cars and that is a big part of why I dragged my feet for such a long time when it came to buying another vehicle.  I needed a sign, something to force me to go car shopping.  No air conditioning in the summer was that sign. So, as long as there is a radio and a working air conditioner, I'll drive anything.  It would follow that I don't watch car commercials either. I will admit I do recognize a Jeep, a truck, a bus, a convertible, a station wagon,  a Model T or similar vehicles, a bread truck, a dump truck and a Jaguar.  A Jaguar has round front fenders.  Did James Bond drive one of those?  Oh, and an old Mustang and a '57 Chevy.
     Okay, where do I begin? Fact #1: A new car had to fit inside our one car garage with enough room for me to still exit the vehicle. Fact #2: It needs as much cargo room as my PT Cruiser.      (Bruce went car shopping 11 years ago with my five-foot book rack in hand. The Cruiser  was the only car that would hold my rack.)
      I was on a quest and Google was my friend. I filled three single-spaced legal pad sheets of paper with stats of cross-over/small SUVs, I think they were called. I had no idea how many kinds and styles there were. I was truly shocked.  My four columns per page were  Name/Brand, Width/Length, Cargo Space and Mileage. The winner was this 2019 Honda Fit! (The 2019 was less money than a 2018. Go figure!) It comfortably fits in the garage, gets 33 miles per hour in the city and 40 on the highway and the seats lay down. While the cargo space is less, it's as big inside as I could find. The final plus for me is the brilliant bright red of the machine. The newest Graciousmobile II needs to stand out and show off her Goodbye Lie series signs and, by jingo, she certainly does. I love her! 

P.S. Sometime I'll have to tell you about the time I followed my son-in-law's car. The family is still raggin' me over that one. 

Quote About Books

A book is a dream that you hold in your hand.    - Neil Gaiman  

New Friend plus #Goodbye Diaries - Aunt Noreen

Say hi to Dawn from Georgia, a lovely lady I recently met on a sun-filled day here in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida.  You know how much I love to introduce my new friends to our old friends, Breelan and Carolena and Pat and Peeper and Aunt Noreen.  My hope is for them to get aquainted and love my Goodbye Lie family and folks of Fernandina from the late 1800s, the same as so many others across the world have.  Welcome Dawn! I now pronounce you a Goodbye LieR!

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The Goodbye Lie Diaries:

Late 1880s
Fernandina on Amelia Island
Florida

Aunt Noreen writes: Most of the lovely people

Aunt Noreen

reading what Jane Marie calls her blog are well aware of the abuse I receive from my Dunnigan family. Nevertheless, I adore them all.  Well, mostly all.  That Peeper is a pip.  Excuse my harsh criticism of the woman.  She is not blood kin and, therefore, I reject her and her insults toward me. 
     However, this diary entry is not about Peeper.  Rather, I have a bone to pick with Jane Marie, herself.  It is never proper to refer to a lady's age, young or old. It is not ever the thing to do.  So, I officially declare that I resent, with the greatest of emphasis, her statement above where she includes me as one of her old friends. While I shan't ever speak of my age, I will readily admit, my appearance is that of a much younger creature.  With no boasting intended, men still find me alluring. In any case, Jane Marie, I demand you never again refer to me as old!  Peeper, on the other hand, is a completely different matter.  Feel unencumbered to tell the world about that nasty heifer.

Present day
Fernandina Beach
Florida

Jane Marie responds: 

Dear, dear Aunt Noreen,
   You have the skill of a master wood carver when it comes to finding offense where none is meant. The old was not directed toward your age or the age of any one else.  I was referring to the fact that you and I have known each other for many years. Hence, you are an old friend. 
     My how I do love you, Auntie.  You are so complicated, yet so entertaining.  Although Peeper and half the town in your time would probably not agree with me, however, I am compelled to say, "Never change." 

My Latest Vice #chocolatelover

This is the ditty swirling about in my head.  I invite you to sing along to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell.

I have a brand new vice.
I think it's very nice.
Although it's not too good for me,
I want to do it twice.

Now picture me with it.
A lot or just a bit.
I can pig out, without a doubt.
I'll not get sick a whit!

It's chocolate, so you see,
This is my fervent plea.
I'll give to you the recipe,
But drop down on one knee. 

Chocolate Vice Recipe:

One box of #brownie mix on sale (BOGO is best.)
Water to taste
One Fork

In a small glass of your choosing, keeping in mind a fancy champagne or wine goblet will make the tasting even more festive, pour at least a 1/4 cup of dry brownie mix into the glass.  Dribble a slight amount of water on top and stir with the fork.  Repeat and repeat and repeat ...

Oh, I just realized I'm saving money, too, by making this chocolate recipe!  To that end, here are some new lyrics to my ditty:

I have a brand new tip.
You'll thank me quite a bit.
No oven heat or eggs or oil,
Just happiness to the lip! 

See, I told you it's fun in my world.

                                                   -Jane Marie

2017 Amelia Island Book Festival

Jane Marie

    The last page has been turned and the cover closed over this year's wonderful Amelia Island Book Festival.  With one hundred-plus authors attending, I am happy to report that we have many new #Goodbye LieRs joining our fictional Dunnigan family world on #Amelia Island in the late 1800s. I received the ultimate compliment by way of several readers kindly seeking me out to get a second or third novel in the series. It is so gratifying to know readers can relate to #Breelan and Waite from #The Goodbye Lie.  Another woman told me how much she enjoyed reading about the social customs of the time. Another had gone so far as to make Miss Ella's Brunswick Stew and Sugar and Spice Nuts served at the Fort Clinch Christmas dance from the first novel! Still others found me because of this blog.
     Thank you to all the people who organized and volunteered. They even had high school kids help carry writers' books into the venue for set up.  It was an all day affair and so much appreciated by everyone in attendance behind as well as in front of the tables.

  See you next year!

Your Favorite Romantic Couple

Readers often ask me which couple in my Amelia Island's      

https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Marie-Malcolm/e/B002ZFSBKE/

Goodbye Lie series is my favorite.  Since I gave birth to each of these characters, that is like asking me who my favorite child is.  I love them all because each one touches me in a different way.  I won't single out any specific player or give any hints whatsoever lest I hurt someone's feelings. Should that happen, they will let me hear about it in their Goodbye Lie Diaries. 

But I will ask you.  Who is your favorite couple?  (This is not one of my unscientific surveys.)  For those who have read all three books in the series, I would be surprised if you didn't find one of the three pairs more likeable or romantic or devoted than another.  And for those who have yet to read all three, I invite you to delve into their love stories. Why?  Because everybody loves a lover ...

the LURE, the LOVE, the LEGEND

of  THE GOODBYE LIE 

          

 Waite and Breelan in          

The Goodbye Lie E-book ($2.99) and Paperback Available Here

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his WANT, his WILL, his WAY

in Amelia Island's Velvet Undertow

               

 Carolena and Grey in

Amelia Island's Velvet Undertow E-book ($3.99) and Paperback Available Here


****************************************

the RAINS, the RAGE, the ROMANCE
of Amelia Island's Mark of a Man

        

Pat and Angelique in

Amelia Island's Mark of a Man E-book ($3.99) and Paperback Available Here

Our annual north Florida Amelia Island Book Festival is February 16, 17 and 18, 2017.  There will be many activities for both adults and children. I will be one of the authors attending the Author Expo on Saturday, the 18th, beginning at 10 a.m.  Make plans to come to our island for a long weekend or a day trip, but come if you can. 

If reading is part of your life, you'll find great enjoyment here.  If you're not a reader, give it a try. Slow down and  treat yourself by coming here or discovering a gem of a story at your local library.  The real world you know will  vanish as you delve between the magical pages of the unfolding story.  The written word is a gift from Above to the author and reader alike!


For details, visit: http://www.ameliaislandbookfestival.org/

Results for Did She or Didn't She?

Here are the results of my Did Mom or didn't Mom dust her brownies with powered sugar? unscientific survey.  Two out of three people say, YES, Mom dusted her brownies with powdered sugar!  And responses came from all over the country, so I can't really determine if dusting was/is a regional thing. (These are the items that clog my mind.) 

A few of your comments that accompanied your replies are:

"At my request, my Mum made brownies for my birthday instead of a cake." - Jean, Brunswick, GA

"My mother used to bake her brownies with a cream cheese layer." - Ruthie, New York, NY

"My sainted mother always burned our brownies.  She felt badly, so we blamed it on our old oven being too hot." - Joan, San Jose, CA

Thank you to all who took the time to impart their childhood recollection of mother and brownies, two of our favorite things! (in that order)

***************

ORIGINAL QUESTION:
As I was baking a pan of brownies for our church spaghetti dinner,  I got to thinking about having brownies as a little girl. Then I started wondering if everybody's mother dusted her brownies with powdered sugar or left them plain. 

So, in the category of meaningless knowledge, I'm taking a most unscientific survey.  Either email me at graciousjanemarie@yahoo.com with a simple YES or NO in the subject line or respond to this post on Facebook in the same way. I'll give you a week or so to reply. 

If you want to take this matter further,  please leave the state or part of the country/world you're from and I may be able to semi-conclude if powdered sugar is a regional thing. 

Hey, why not? Right?   (Insert Jane Marie's big smile here.)

P. S.  If you're wondering what the rectangular line is around the edge of the brownies in the photo above, I'll tell you.  A long time ago, in a city far away, a wonderful friend told me she always whittles about half an inch or so from the edge of the brownies before she cuts them into squares and serves them.  Why?  Well, the edges are oft times crispy and, therefore, a bit less than desirous to serve.  More importantly, those edges are perfect for the baker to ingest and, if she's feeling generous, share with her family, anxious for a sample. Hmm, about that sharing thing ... (Insert another smile here.) 

(I promise not to add your email address to our list unless you insist. Heck, I rarely send out email blasts since readers seem to find us and our world so readily online.)

Annual Holiday Letter

It is time again to acquaint you all with the frolicking fancies which swirled around our Amelia Island family over the last twelve months.  If you are a regular visitor to this blog, you have come to expect the exciting,  grandiose and spectacular in these annual letters.  If not, may we suggest you sit down, lest you are overcome by the thrills our loved ones have experienced.  Steady yourself.  Here goes:

 

The cupboard door was left open.

 

Father won a trip for one to the North Pole.  The accommodations weren’t bad since the polar bear had just been fed.

 

A glop of something fell from the yellow pitcher into the glass of orange juice. 

The rats have moved out.  

 

In order to help with cleanup after a family dinner, Mother asked Son-in-Law where the dish cloth was.  “We use a sponge, but it smells funny,” he replied.  “You can use the pink one in the bathroom, on the floor by the toilet brush.”  Mother remembered Son-in-Law was a boy scout, so he’s always prepared.  

 

Sunday, there was no mail.

 

Daughter counted 37 glass ornaments on the Christmas tree and 18 gold plastic ice cycles.  With such acuity, she will either go into accounting or fishing line untangling.

 

The grass grew and tickled the dog’s bottom.

 

The new neighbors eat dinner.

 

The waves are wet.

 

The rug has a dark spot to the left of the  green-leafed easy chair .  Interrogations are on-going.

 

The streetlight burned out.

 

The family is changing Uncle Knuckle's nickname.  Since he shaved his back and now wears clothes, he doesn't look so much like a chimp. 

There are feathers in the blue pillow.

And so you have the details of another stupendous year in our lives.  May your future be filled with peace, harmony and issues not nearly as challenging as ours!  And please don't eat any more lint. Auntie Wanna's tongue is still stuck to her teeth because her mouth is so dry.

 

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

P.S.  Here are just a few of our Annual Letter reviews we have received over the years from fans.  We are especially proud of all the exclamation points folks have used to show their sincerity. Thank you all:

-What is the matter with you?  This is the dumbest &*^% I have ever read!!!

-Every body is royalty in some way.  You're the Queen of Stupid!

-You have wasted 30 seconds of my life!!!!!!!!

Amelia Island's Velvet Undertow Excerpt - Grey and Carolena

     You won't like Carolena Dunnigan, featured

female in Amelia Island's Velvet Undertow. A quick temper, a bossy manner and stubborn ways, you'll quickly understand why I say this as you read her less than charming exchange with Chief Engineer Grey McKenna, set in 1889 on Amelia Island, Florida.

E-books and Paperbacks HERE

     “Where have you been?” Carolena shouted. “All I can say is thank you ever so much for leaving me out in the dark and the cold and damp. I may have caught my death for all you care. And have you gotten me a cabin? Or did it slip your mind that my tail, as you so coarsely put it, was even on board? I’ve been everywhere looking for you so I could give you a good-sized piece of my mind.”
    Grey was shocked by Carolena’s shrewish tone, and she was surprised when he lifted her to her toes by her upper arm and rushed her away from the door and into the passageway.
     “Let me go! Just because you wrassle equipment and engines and things on
this ship, gives you no leave to bully me!”
     He released her once they were a distance from any ship’s activity. The smile on his face was gone. “I don’t give a damn if your daddy and
brother-in-law own this ship, missy, I won’t tolerate you talking to me like that.” His head cocked as if at the point of discovery. "Fascinating, if you don’t sound exactly like that Aunt Noreen of yours. Pity the poor fool who finally marries you.” His searing look intensified. “It’s a lucky thing you’re a woman. If you were a man, I’d pound you flat!”
     "How dare you?” she responded. “Handle me  again, and I’ll have your job!” She was upset. She was so mad, she could spit mud. Grey’s eyes narrowed, and what Carolena witnessed in him frightened her. Her temper disappeared, replaced by bewilderment. Was she afraid of him?
     Speaking softly and slowly, “No one, not man nor woman, threatens my job.” He leaned in closely. “You want to run things, do you? Well here, my dear, I give you full dominion of my responsibilities on the Coral Crown,” adding,
“with my compliments.” Grey pulled away. He ripped the golden crossed anchors from the collar
of his uniform, seized her wrist, and slapped them onto her upturned palm. A casual about face and he walked away, leaving her alone in the corridor.
     She stood trembling, unsure of what to do. In all her ups and downs, she’d never before felt faint. At this moment, she was quite certain she was near to it. It was clutching at her, pinching off the breath to her brain. She leaned against the
wall to recover. She straitened her sleeve where he’d twisted it on her arm and righted herself.  In the event anyone witnessed the spectacle, she spoke aloud, “If that insolent oaf wants to quit and leave hundreds of passengers stranded in the event the ship breaks down, then he’s simply showing his true colors. No loyal crewman would abandon his obligations if his feelings got bruised.” How I’ve misjudged him, she thought. He’s neither the kind man nor true friend he
purports himself to be. He’s an animal!
     Calm down, Carolena, she ordered herself. Just put Second Engineer Casey in charge, and that’s that! Then it came to her. Who was she to be
putting anyone in charge? Yes, she knew about the ship, but all she knew was its interior design. Of its basic construction, she understood only that burning coal in the fire room produced steam, which pushed piston-things, and they turned
engines. Her tongue had gotten away from her, and her interference had caused Grey to quit his post.
     Would Casey take over without talking to Grey? She doubted it because the chain of command was inbred in him the same as in any faithful sailor. When he and the captain learned the reason for the resignation, oh God. What if word gets out among the passengers and back in Fernandina? I can only imagine the rumors. And when it gets back to Waite and Bree and Daddy, I’ll be so ashamed, they’ll probably ask me to leave the business, and rightfully so. When I was a
little girl, I remember Daddy telling me respect can only be given. It can’t be demanded.
     What have I done to myself, my family, and the reputation of the Aqua Verde Passenger Line?  Animal or not, I need Grey.

I Did It !

Avert thine eyes!!!!

           This might seem an odd time to talk diets, being in the middle of the holiday season.  Most reasonable people would wait to discuss such until the new year.  No one has ever accused me of being reasonable. 
     Therefore, it is no secret that I am celebrating my 31st year of dieting. My plan has been to either lose weight, notice how original I am in my efforts, or to keep weight off.  Then there is the goal of lowering cholesterol. That's my recent focus.  In the words of my husband, Bruce, “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing to excess.”  That must be why we get along. We’re prone to extremes.  
     And so, for the last three months, this particular diet has consisted of fruitsies (as my father called them late in life) and veggies.  We all understand the importance of such. Every day for breakfast:  low sodium V8 juice and nuked instant oatmeal with water and natural plant sweetener.  Then we have what we call phony eggs.  You know, the ones with no fat, no cholesterol, no nothing.  Happily, they make pretty good scrambled eggs.  Add some salsa and yummo!  Slice an apple on the side for dessert, sprinkle on a bit of cinnamon, which is supposed to be good for you, and you have minute touches of a gourmet meal. Perhaps green peepers stuffed with no fat cottage cheese steamed on a bed of marinara sauce on top of the stove or chicken in the slow cooker with a light mushroom soup and drinking sherry gravy- add salt and pepper to taste. How about that delightful treat of an entire bag of frozen broccoli sprinkled with lemon and pepper, thawed and heated through, of course.  (I was using the lemon/pepper you sprinkle on from the little condiment bottle. Even at 60% reduced sodium, we're talking salt bomb!  Then someone suggested I use fresh squeezed lemon juice. Doy!!!!)   

     No eating at restaurants allowed except when a friend arrived from out of town. I couldn't very well expect her to join my diet.  After all, I had a 30 year and 364 day jump start on her. So, we went to a Mexican restaurant.  I had greens, tomatoes and sliced avocado. My taste buds were satisfied, even if the visual of her gobbling away on her triple cheese enchiladas will haunt me till death.
     But the most suffering I have endured was no pasta, no cheese and no chocolate!!!  Ladies and gents, I can proudly say, I did not cave.  Shocker, right?  Yes, to me, too, since the G in Gracious Jane Marie might well strand for gluttony. 

    Someone told me to pop a daily dose of natural olive leaf and chlorella which is supposed to be good for everything from left-handedness to uneven eyebrows. Now Bruce just told me he heard a doctor interviewed on the radio saying that you need cholesterol to hold the body together. Oh, I like that. Still,  I'll try to be good and not eat the entire pan of brownies, again, myself. 
     If this post rambles and I guarantee it does, blame it on calorie deprivation.

     Disclaimer:  I am not a doctor, nurse or orderly.  However, I was once a junior nurse’s aide as a teen. Should you trust my medical interpretation on any matters of health, may I suggest you see a shrink because, how should I say this ... You're nuts.

P.S.  It's probably a better thing that Miss Ella, instead of me, is in charge of the menus for the Dunnigan family's Aqua Verde Passenger Line in The Goodbye Lie series.  She seems somewhat less extreme than I am.  

New Friend

St. Michael's Craft Fair was well attended and I was one of the vendors there. As usual, I met many new people. One sweet woman stood out.  Meet Emma from Chicago.  I first met Miss Emma and her husband while signing books on Centre Street in our historic downtown Fernandina Beach on the island.  She'd gotten a copy of The Goodbye Lie then. She turned up at the craft show, told me she'd also read Amelia Island's Velvet Undertow and this day took possession of the third novel in the series, Amelia Island's Mark of a Man.  It is always a treat for me to discover folks who "get" the characters and "get into" the stories.  That is always my hope and Miss Emma is one of those people. 
     I chatted with others, discussing the fact that St. Michael's church is featured in the novels because the fictional Irish Dunnigan family attended there in 1882. It struck me how my characters and I live parallel lives in so many ways.  They go to church and have craft shows and potluck dinners, the same as I do.  The difference is just a few years, 134 is all.

The Shadow

Just in time for the shadows of Fall, here are some fun pics I snapped of our singing spokes-doggie, Abby, enjoying a bit of modeling in the sun's spotlight! 

right snout

Abby proudly displaying her neck length

Uncovered Titles

I was cleaning my office.  No, can't say that.  Cleaning is much too strong a word, as are sorting and rearranging.  It was more like shuffling.  Yes, I was doing the paper shuffle dance.  To my delight, I found a manila envelope with handwritten pages from my original Goodbye Lie manuscript. (Now available in E-book and paperback. haha)  This is pretty exiting stuff for me because it has been many a moon since I last wrote out page after page of  that first book.  As a bonus, I found a list of working titles, some of which could have been on the cover instead of The Goodbye Lie.  I am pleased I settled for The Goodbye Lie.  It tells a story all by itself. 

Here is that list of working titles.  If you've read The Goodbye Lie, decide if I made the right choice.  If you haven't,  they may lead you in the direction of wanting to understand the meaning behind them.

Forever Once

Mended Lace

Amelia Light

Return Tomorrow

Destiny's Choice

Yesterday's Past

Yesterdays Passed

The Goodbye Lie Diaries - Breelan's Novel Jewelry

WARNING: YOU WILL BE TEMPTED!

The Goodbye Lie Girls' Novel Jewelry 

     If you have met the women in The Goodbye Lie series, get reacquainted. If you have not yet done so, learn a bit about their personalities, outlooks and one very important matter, their jewelry. 
     Scattered throughout this blog, by way of the magic of the electronic Goodbye Lie Diaries, you will read about and see a necklace, bracelet, or perhaps a pair of earbobs, which will give you a bit more insight into these wonderful, mostly, Goodbye Lie Girls.
     Each piece is created by Nancy Kamp, jewelry designer and instructor of such beautiful things. Gleaning inspiration from the dramatic influence of the series, Nancy has captured the essence of the prime female characters for you to gaze upon and appreciate. Thank you, Nancy.
     We hope you will be tempted to rediscover and wear your own special piece.

Breelan

Breelan Dunnigan is innocent beauty. She is the featured player in The Goodbye Lie, the first installment in this historical

mystery & romance series set in 1882 on Amelia Island, Florida, in the still standing seaside town called Fernandina.  An eighteen-year-old brunette, she is a cub reporter for the Florida Mirror Newspaper and is weary of having only her silly human interest stories accepted for print. She feels she is quite capable of tackling the heavier news of the day. Her self-recognized ability to embroider the events in her town with theatrically written words fuels her certainty that she can increase the paper's circulation, as well as get her own byline.
     Beyond her writing, Breelan is young and desperately in love. That love gives her this seventeen-inch necklace of shimmering blue/green glass barrel-shaped beads with three smaller matching spacers between each larger barrel. Centered on her throat is one clear crystal stone carved into a circular rosette. The clasp is a brushed antique silver.  Each moment Bree wears this ring of lovely, she remembers the first time her beau stepped up behind her to drape his gift around her bare neck, lingering and breathing against her skin, while taking in her inviting scent of White Embers, a mixture of sandal
wood, tuberose and forest rain.  

Eugenia Price Quote

Joy might be God - in the marrow of our bones.       -  Eugenia Price

Goodbye Lie's Latest Poster

What cha think?  I like it.
   - Jane Marie
 

A Writer's Tote

     Look what came in the mail from my ever-wonderful brother, Bob.  He saw it and thought of me.  I like the way this guy thinks! 
                                             Thank you, Bobby

Square Piano?

      Please see our piano pictured here. It is not just any piano. This is a square piano. Well, it's not really square, it's rectangular, but that's what they call this gem and, if I'm honest, we only own one key.  That's not exactly right either.  And so the story goes, many years ago, when we initially joined our local Amelia Island Museum of History, one of the first projects we participated in was that of restoring this square grand piano for the Victorian Room there. Each key was $100, as I recall.  Since middle C was already snagged by someone else, we chose one we would remember from all the others by its placement and that was low A, the first white key on the left side of the keyboard. Because this was a fund raiser and since we donated the money, you can understand we don't really "own" the piano or the key, but we still love her very much.

     I will never forget the

summer Sunday afternoon we spent at the museum in that Victorian Room.  With a candelabra as the only light, a gentleman in tie and tails played while a lovely women in period costume and wig sang music from vintage sheet music. As a matter of fact, this scene returned before my mind's eye and was part of my mental image when I wrote of Maestro Paolo Alontti in Amelia Island's Velvet Undertow.

     Over time, as the exhibits in the museum were changed, we lost track of the piano.  When I asked someone on the museum board about it, they told me it currently sits in the lobby of the local Citizens State Bank in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida. That's downtown Centre Street across from St. Peter's Episcopal Church with the red tin roof.  So if you're in the area, stop in to see it. 

Music Stand

     If you want to learn about these antique square pianos, visit the YouTube links below.  You can hear what a similar piano sounds like in Part 2 of The History of Square Pianos, beginning about 5 minutes into it.  Enjoy!

Piano Lyre and Foot Pedals

Decorative Feet

Brief History of the Square Piano Part 1 - narrated by Thomas Strange of Easley, South Carolina

Brief History of the Square Piano Part 2  - also narrated by Mr. Strange

P.S. In my research, I found this exact-looking square grand piano dating from 1865 to 1873 either sold or selling for $30,000.

This piano is currently housed in the lobby of:

Citizens State Bank

715 Centre St, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

 (904) 261-8233

Failure Highway

Some folk say I need to be smarter.
I have tried all I know how to do. 
The path to success is challenging.
The easy roads are few.

To fail is certainly needed.
Yes, it certainly takes its toll.
For Failure is the name of the highway,
That will take you to your goal.

Fear not the failures in life, you see,
They are the path to success.
No creature on Earth has done better.
None has avoided the stress.

So when you encounter failure,
Do not dismay or groan.
It's only another required step.
Treat it as a welcome step-stone.
                                    by Chuck Hall

I read this poem by my friend Chuck Hall and asked him if I could put it on the blog.  The message in it is so encouraging and says it all.

Chuck is a website designer and owner of
Websitesbychuck.com and one heck of a banjo player.